Variable-speed transmission



Mar. 13, 1923.

H. MOAKLEY VARIABLE SPEED TRANSMISSION Filed Dec. 21, 1917 azgj lll'mlllllllllllllllll'li% 1 INVENTOR Patented Mar; 13, 19230 HENRY IVIOAKLEY, OF NEW YORK, 1\T. Y.

FATENT QFFEQEO ASSIGNOR T0 HANNIBAL C. FORD,

JAMAICA, NEW roan.

VARIABLE-SPEED TRANSMISSION.

, Application filed December 2 To all whom it may concern Be it known that I,

HENRY MOAKLEY, a

citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county and State of New York,

have invented new and us eful Improvements in Variable-Speed Transmissions, of

which the following is a spec This invention relates to ification. variable speed transmissions and more particularly to the type of transmissionconsisting of a ball in rolling contact with two rota one of which is a disc, a cone shaped roller or the like.

table elements,

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a transmission of this character in which the ball spect to the elements to effect parts will remain in rolling tions and yet the contact without slipping.

may be bodily moved with respeed varia- Another object of the invention is to provide a transmission of the type referred to in which the ball may be bodily displaced With practically no effort and may also be accurately positioned ratio of the transmission.

Another object of the invention is to vide a transmission in which the ball to determine the speed promay be in direct rolling contact with the driving and driven elements and y bodily displacement of the changes in speed.

With these and other objec inventionconsists of the con combinations which will et permit the ball to effect ts in View, the structions and be described in conunction with the accompanying drawings and will be particularly pointed outin the appended claims.

In the drawlngs:

Figure 1 is a central vertical section through a transmission constructed in accordance with the principles tion.

Figure 2 is a plan view of 1, and Figure 4 is a transverse sec modified construction.

of the inven- Figure 1.

Figure 3 isa transverse section of Figure tion through a The specific embodiments of the invention shown, are adapted for use where it is nec-- essary to accurately transmlt continuouslyvarying speeds, as for example, in instruments of precision utilized one or two variable factors, understood that the device wherever variable speed tra for integrating but it is to be may. be used nsmissions reshaft.

1, 1917. Serial No. 208,273.

111 description.

in the form shown in a bearing 3. The end of the shaft 2 is of reduced diameter and carries a pinion 4 meshing with a pinion 5 by which it may be rotated alth'o' ugh any other means for rotating the disc may be employed. The bearing 3 for the shaft constitutes a part of a frame 6 consisting of a base and two end plates 7. Mounted in the end plates 7 above the disc 1, is a shaft 8, which rotates freely upon ball bearings 9. A roller 10 surrounds the shaft and is rotatably connected thereto by balls or anti friction elements 11 which roll in longitudinal grooves 12 in the shaft and also in corresponding longitudinal internal grooves 13 in the roller.

As is clear from Figure 3, three sets of balls or anti-friction elements are utilized which are spaced equidistantly around the A spacer 14 is interposed between the shaft and roller which comprises a sleeve having holes or openings therein to receive the balls. The walls of the openings for the balls are preferably countersunk as shown in Figure 1, which will cause the spacer to rest upon the balls and to be held out of contact with the shaft and roller. It will therefore be seen that the roller while connected to the shaft for rotation therewith can move freely along the shaft with little or no efiort required to cause its displacement.

Mounted between the roller and disc is a ,ball 16 preferably of hard steel and it might here be stated that the working surfaces of by the shaft 2 to force the disc 1 upwardly.

The spring 17 is carried by bolts 19 carried b1 the bearing 3 which may be adjusted to o tain. the desired pressure between the parts. The ball 16 is carried in a slide 20 having rollers 24 bearing against the ball The slide may be moved by a rod 21 or an equivalent device in slideways 22.

The operation of the transmission will be obvious from the preceding but will be briefly described. Assuming that the disc 1 is being rotated at a constant speed, the ball 16 will rotate anddrive the roller and shaft 8 at a speed proportional to the distance between the center of the disc and the point of contact with the ball. When it is desired to change the speed the rod 21 is actuated which will cause the ball 16 to be bearing inthe' frame.

- the disc 1 constitute any desired speed of varled 1n a continuous manner.

the roller 10 is offset is utilized, which consists preferably of a moved radially acrossjthe disc. During such radial movementv the roller 10 will move linearly along the shaft the ball 16. It will therefore be seen that the roller and shaft 8 that the speed may be Moreover may be obtained and since the roller 10 is upon the shaft 8 on the ball bearings 11, little or no effort is required to move the ball 16 making the transmission particularly a aptable for instrument work.

In the modification disclosed in Figure at, the disc 1, the roller 10 and ball 16 and associated parts are of the same construction as in Figure 3. However, instead of disposing the roller 10' so that it and the disc engage diametrically .opposed points upon the ball, and a second roller solid cylindrical roller mounted in a suitable This roller 25 and the driving and driven members, and the roller 10 is only for the purpose of maintaining the ball 16in frictional engagement with these parts by yirtue of the spring acting upon the disc or by anequ'ivalent structure.

I ated the ball 16 is distributed between two be less tendency For light Thls type of transmission may be opersimilarly to the construction shown in Figure. 3, the-modified construction being best with heavier loads since the pressure of rollers. The roller 10 will therefore 'slide more freely upon the shaft 8 and there will for the'ballsllto bind.

construction good. I H

It is to be noted however, that-in the construction shown in Figure 4, .the points of shown in Figure 3 is equally as contact between the disc and the ball and the roller 25 and the ball cannot be at diametrically opposed points, since, when the ball is bodlly moved it must roll simultaneously on both of these surfaces and bodily'displace the roller 10. I

'The important advantage of both forms of construction is that the ball by means of the cage 20 and rod 21 ma be accurately positioned upon the disc 1, his is essential 8 upon the balls 11, the roller remaining in rolling contact with free to move linearly rotatable elements ball t roll loads as in instrument work the H ge for the reason that the position of the ball upon the disc 1 determines the speed ratio,

What I claimis:

" 1. In a variable speed transmission an a fixed axis,

" ressure to said parts to maintain them in rolling contact, a movable part mounted independently of said elements engaging said ball, and means for mounting one of sai for free bodily movement whereby when said movable part is actuated to cause said ball to roll bodily on the surface of one element the other element is displaced bodily by the frictional engagement between it and the ball. 3. In a variable speed transmission an element rotatable about a fixed axis, a roller,

fixed axis and hay-- a ball in rolling contact with said element and roller, means for applying pressure to' said parts to maintain them in rollin contact,.'a movable part engaging sai ball mounted independently of said element and roller and means for mounting said roller for free rotary and longitudinal movement said ball remains in rolling contact whereby with saidroller and displaces it longitudinally'when said art is actuated to cause said 'ly on the surface of said element. I

4. In a variable speed transmission, two rotatable elements, a ball in rolling contact with said elements and adapted to be bodily displaced across the faces of both elements, said elements being fixed against bodily displacement with said ball, a bodily movable rotary'member engaging said ball to maintain it in frictional engagement with said elements and means for applying a pressureon said parts to maintain thenr in frictional ment. 5. n a variable speed transmission, two rotatable elements, a ball in rolling contact with said elements at non-diametrically opposed points and adapted to be displacedacross the faces of both elements, said elements being fixed against a displacement with saidball and mechanical means permitting free bodily displacement of ball, holding it in engagement with said elements and means'for bodily displacing 'said ball.

(a In a variable speed transmissiomtwo rotatable elements, a ball in rolling contact with said elements, a roller engaging said ball and holding it in frictional engagement with said elements and means for applying a pressure on said parts to maintain. them in frictional engagement, said roller being bodily displaceable to permit free displacement of said ball.

7. In a variable speed transmission, a rotating element, a shaft, a roller surrounding said shaft, anti-friction members disposed between said shaft and roller connecting them for rotation but permitting a bodily linear movement of said roller upon said shaft, a ball in' rolling contact with said element and roller, means for applying pressure to said parts to maintain them in frictional engagement whereby when said ball is bodily moved with respect to said element said roller will move along said shaft.

In a variable speed transmission, a shaft, a member surrounding said shaft, anti-friction members interposed between said shaft and member connecting them to gether for rotation and permitting linear movement of said member along said shaft,

a ball in rolling contact with said member and operable to impart both of the specified forms of movement thereto, and a rotary movement of the member along the shaft, a I

ball in rolling contact with the member, a rotary element engaging said ball and means movable independently of the member for moving the ball with respect to the rotary element.

HENRY MoAKLEY. 

